Saturday 4th May
Leigh on Sea - 172 ao
Woodford Wells - 176/3
The success of the first team against Old Parks the weekend before, meant that the second team were scheduled to take the long drive to the outskirts of London and visit the glorious vista of Woodford Wells.
The team showed 5 changes to the side that beat Old Parks 2's the week before, with JD coming in for the absent Richard Stubbington, and Steve Brown and Dave Catchpole returning to the fold. The clubs youth policy was in evidence with Paul Morgan and Toby Giles dragging the average age of the side downwards. Early wet weather in the build up to the weekend meant that conditions at 'the Wells' were described by a passing John McCririck as 'heavy' and Tony Greig's keys after being inserted in the middle of the pitch were held tighter than a pint of Kronenberg in the meaty paw of Paul Boughtwood. In fact the sloping style of The Wells cricket field coupled with the inclement weather, meant that just past the boundary rope on the far side was very similar to an peat bog.
With his team duly inspired, opening pair of Dave Clarke and AK set foot out onto the pitch to face the wrath of the new ball spell from Woodford. The early exchanges were decidedly one sided with both Aaron and Dave both being dropped on 0 by mid off and mid on respectively. With the short ball rearing up like a dragon with a nasty hangover trying to deal with a pair of persistent Jehovah’s witnesses, both batsmen were having difficulty establishing themselves. The bowlers were probing the Geoff Boycott corridor of uncertainty bowling to 7-2 fields and keeping the score down very effectively. Despite the problems with the track DC and AK still got a few scoring shots away with Clarke sending two blistering cover drives to the boundary and some nudges and nurdles providing both with valuable runs, and Aaron at one point lofting the opener back over mid off for a boundary.
The pitch was the main danger though as Clarke was struck painfully on the elbow and on the body. AK having to sway out of the way of one delivery that looked like it had been bowled by Stephen Harmison (only much straighter)
The first wicket to fall was that of Kerner who played at one that left him slightly and was taken at a stretch by the gully fielder. John Dyos was next into the breach and set out to accelerate the scoring. With the bowlers still getting a lot of help from the pitch Clarke was the next of the gang to die, caught again in the gully for a brave 18, which didn’t please him. With the score not quite past the 40 mark Simon Wallace strolled out to the wicket, wearing his calypso style white sun hat and was quickly off the mark. However his innings would be short lived as he received a vicious delivery that spat off the surface and went through at almost shoulder height. Simon showed what fine touch he must be in by somehow being able to get a thin outside edge on the ball whilst performing a move that a character from the Matrix Reloaded would have been fairly chuffed with.
With the score now showing 3 wickets down and still a way away from 50, things looked decidedly bleak. But every cloud has a silver lining and as the crowd looked on expectantly, Damian Liston stepped out to face the music. With the captain making a few bowling changes, there were new challenges to be overcome and with JD and Damo both striking the ball nicely the score moved up to the 50 mark. John in particular was attracting glances, not so much for his batting style, which has always been pleasing to the eye, but more for the fact he had chosen to take his hat out to bat with him, only to then elect that rather than wear it on his head, which is the general custom with these things, he went with tucking into the front of his trousers. This strange wardrobe choice didn’t seem to put him off however and he continued to push the bowling into the gaps.
Attempting to whip a straight ball into the largely vacant legside, John fell bowled through the gate. Browny came in at number 6 having first pointed out that the wicketkeeper for Woodford looked a little bit like a thirty-something James Foster. After getting off the mark first ball he then fell 5th ball after the ball rose unexpectedly to hit his glove and the aforementioned wicketkeeper taking a sprawling catch to dismiss him. The irony of that was not lost on him afterwards.
After beating a few deliveries to the boundary Damian was dismissed by a delivery that also got big on him and as he tried to avoid it, it struck him on the elbow sending it downwards where it ricocheted off the pitch back onto his stumps in unfortunate fashion. Damian didn’t quite say that he ‘should’ve got a hundred’ but he possibly thought it was on before fate dealt its cruel blow.
The Leigh innings by this point looked as if destined to fall into the abyss, as James Pettitt and Paul Morgan joined each other in the middle with the score on about 70-6. Sporting cut off sleeves that looked as if a jealous ex girlfriend had been at them with a razor sharp pair of secateurs, Paul Morgan played a fluent (if short) innings, perhaps fittingly given the state of his sleeves, he seemed to specialise in the cut shot, knocking two cleanly away through point. Unfortunately a short time later his cameo was brought to an end by slapping another cut straight at gully who took his third catch of the day.
Pettitt was joined by a gleaming Toby Giles, fresh faced member of the side, who had seemingly bought all his kit the day before. Several spectators had to quickly find a barrier between the sun reflecting off his stunningly clean boots/pads and their now complaining retina’s. Sunglasses were suddenly a must have item. Giles and Pettitt then set about turning the tide and now with the ball doing a little bit less, they had success. Toby looked particularly easy at the crease, with the only criticism being that his effortless pick up shot from the ball pitching on leg stump looked as if it should be landing in the road rather than halfway to the boundary as it was (more effort needed perhaps?) James was coupling hitting booming drives out through the cover period and the apparent need to take ages to muck around with his gloves off after every ball. This habit systematically got both bowlers and umpires backs up. This came to a head when he called for a drink whilst only having 24 on the board, with the umpire telling him that he should maybe consider 'getting on with it'. The pair took the score past the 150 mark before Pidge stooped to pick up a breadcrumb and was dismissed.
Whilst this was going on Dave Catchpole was going through a variety of differing mental states on the sidelines. Early on, as it became clear he would be having a fairly extended bat in the days game, he was the very embodiment of positivity, speaking of both his desire and ability to get a big score. As the game progressed however Catchers began to swing steadily down towards outright negativity. Mentioning how he didn’t think he would get any and going as far as picking out bowlers who would dismiss him.
His innings in many ways followed exactly the same path as his mood with his first ball being uneventful before his second ball was dispatched high into the early afternoon sky, only coming down a few inches from the boundary and hopping over for 4. It proved the dizzying high before the stomach wrenching drop however as the third ball nipped back and pinned him in front lbw.
Brian was the last man out and Leigh were back in the hutch for 172. With 'Tobes' unbeaten on debut with a very impressive 50.
After heading down to Dave Clarke’s favourite tea location (all humming the tune on his phone), Leigh sprinted out to begin clawing the game back from the brink. Early wickets were needed and plenty of them. Unfortunately, as is normally the case, the pitch that was doing all sorts when we were batting seemed to have calmed as the warmth of the sun reduced slightly, and many of the steepling bounce and movement appear to have abated under the new ball spells of Catchers and Pettitt. In fact after a few overs Dave was removed from the attack to change ends and Wallace was brought into the attack to provide some incisiveness.
This tactic was not hugely successful however and the openers for Woodford seemed to be not having many problems scoring. The shorter of the two batsman in particular was playing with a careful style, which dealt Liston a painful blow on the shin from his ‘pounce position’ at short leg which quite literally no-one found amusing…..
The pacemen were undoubtedly putting the effort in and Brian straining to find the extra two yards of pace overstepped on one delivery which heartbreakingly was hit straight to cover for what would have been the first wicket of the day. This reprieve was short lived as a short time later the same batsman tried to smash one out of the ground but only succeeded in flashing it off the inside edge onto his stumps. Damian reminding him in no uncertain terms that ‘justice’ had been dished out.
This wicket proved to be the last for a while as Woodford asserted there dominance and built up a healthy partnership for the second wicket, which in fact was only broken by the other openers retiring once he got to 50. The batsman who replaced him did not look quite so streaky and the game came back to Leigh ever so slightly. James was able to cut down runs for the most part with his bowling, and the return of Catchpole for a second spell seemed to be working nicely.
Brian returning from the bottom end had almost an immediate effect taking a neat caught and bowled chance. The score continued onward however and Toby ‘Tobes’ Giles was called upon to be the difference maker again with the ball. Unfortunately for the young man, the only difference he could make in the second half of the game was to increase the pain felt by Dave Clarke behind the stumps by forcing him to dive painfully onto his swollen left elbow time after time. Giles did bowl an absolute pearler though to hit the batsman plumb in front, but the appeal was turned down. The third seemingly stone cold lbw that had gone the same way. Brian did have one appeal in his favour fairly late on but by this time the tide had already swept Leigh very much in the wrong direction.
As Woodford reached up toward their target Catchpole returned again but to no avail and Woodford rounded the game off with a certain degree of ease to give them a well deserved victory.
Leigh retired back to the pavilion to listen to Dave Clarke’s ‘Style Council’ ringtone for some post game therapy.
Steve Brown
<< Home